Frequently Asked Questions
- What if I want to visit the Watson School?
- How do I apply for undergraduate studies?
- How do I apply for graduate school?
- Is graduate admission ultimately decided by the Graduate School or by the department? And do I need to send one package of application materials to the grad school and another to the department separately when I apply?
- What are the exam requirements for international students? What is an acceptable TOEFL or IELTS score?
- I'm an international student, but I will be receiving an undergraduate degree from a U.S. school. Am I required to submit TOEFL/IELTS scores?
- What proportion of the TOEFL and GRE scores do you take into consideration during the admission process. Are they decisive?
- Is GPA a decisive factor? Will you even consider an applicant whose GPA is below your requirement?
- Do you consider the reputation of applicant's undergraduate university? Is it important?
- What kind of applicant background is competitive? High test scores, research experiences or something else?
- What percentage of your students are international students? Are there any Chinese students?
- What about the financial aid for master's students? As far as I know, few master's students can get financial support.
- What about the job opportunities after graduation?
- When does the 2010 fall application process start?
What if I want to visit the Watson School?
You're encouraged to visit the campus if you are interested in attending the Watson School. You are welcome to join group information sessions and student-guided tours of the campus held on most weekdays and selected Saturdays during the academic year. These sessions cover general information about admissions, academic and campus life, housing and the surrounding community. We encourage you to phone 607-777-2171 at least one week in advance of to be sure that a session will be scheduled for the day that you choose to visit.
Each fall the Admissions Office and individual Binghamton University schools host an open house for all interested potential applicants and their families. Each spring open houses are offered for all admitted freshmen and their families. These events provide general campus information as well as focused sessions on the Watson School, with the opportunity to meet faculty and staff representing your intended major. Check out the visiting campus section of the University's website for more information about visiting our campus.
Students interested in master's or doctoral studies at the Watson School should view our video on what makes a graduate education at Binghamton University so outstanding.
How do I apply for undergraduate studies?
For everything that you ever wanted to know about undergraduate admission, visit our Undergraduate Admissions website.
How do I apply for graduate school?
For more information on how to apply for graduate studies, visit the Graduate School's website, and you are encouraged to check the special FAQ - Graduate section below.
FAQ for Prospective Graduate Students
Is graduate admission ultimately decided by the Graduate School or by the department? And do I need to send one package of application materials to the grad school and another to the department separately when I apply?
The department decides. You should send only one package directly to the Graduate School, which will organize the application materials and send them to us.
What are the exam requirements for international students? What is an acceptable TOEFL or IELTS score?
Exam requirements and acceptable scores for international students can be found on the Graduate School website.
I'm an international student, but I will be receiving an undergraduate degree from a U.S. school. Am I required to submit TOEFL/IELTS scores?
The TOEFL/IELTS score is not required if you have received a degree from a U.S. institution or if you have received a degree from an institution in a country whose native language is English.
What proportion of the TOEFL and GRE scores do you take into consideration during the admission process. Are they decisive?
All factors are taken into consideration, including TOEFL and GRE scores. Strength in other areas can compensate for low test scores. There are minimum required TOEFL scores. Although there is no firm minimum required score on the GRE, successful applicants typically have a score of 700 or higher on the Quantitative part of the GRE. Slightly lower scores may be accepted if the applicant is strong in other aspects (e.g., good course grades and/or strong research experience).
Is GPA a decisive factor? Will you even consider an applicant whose GPA is below your requirement?
All factors are taken into consideration, including GPA. Strength in other areas can compensate for low GPA. We pay particular attention to your academic performance in the key courses in Electrical and Computer Engineering; grades in junior-level and senior-level courses tend to be weighted most heavily.
Do you consider the reputation of applicant's undergraduate university? Is it important?
Yes, it is important and we consider the reputation of an applicant's undergraduate university.
What kind of applicant background is competitive? High test scores, research experiences or something else?
It is difficult to isolate a single factor; they are all important.
What percentage of your students are international students? Are there any Chinese students?
Roughly 60 percent are international students. And yes, we have many students from China.
What about the financial aid for master's students? As far as I know, few master's students can get financial support.
Some master's students can receive financial support, usually as a teaching assistant (TA), and sometimes as a research project assistant (RPA). Exceptional academic performance, high test scores and research experience can increase your chances of receiving support.
What about the job opportunities after graduation?
Job opportunities depend heavily on many external factors (e.g., the economy, the particular area of specialization, the student's job search skills, etc.) so it is hard to give precise information on this. Graduates from our master's and PhD programs have been successful getting job offers from both large and small employers throughout the U.S. For additional information, consider conducting an Internet search or contacting Graduate Director for Industrial and Systems Engineering, Associate Professor Sarah Lam.
When does the 2010 fall application process start?
We begin looking at fall 2010 applications in November 2009. Deadline for funding consideration would be January 15, 2010.
